Introduction
My 175th hike on House Mountain (my eleventh this year) is in the record! (This was also my 39th hike on “My Mountain” with “bionic” joints.) I hiked earlier today.
On Christmas Day, with six inches of snow on the ground, my ol' truck and I attempted to get to House Mountain, about seven miles away. That day, the weather was mostly cloudy. The high was 28 degrees Fahrenheit. I had hopes! We tried three different routes, but the snow and ice on the roads prevented us. We could have taken another longer and easier route, but Hogskin Road would have been most likely impossible. Beaten but not defeated, we returned home.
Photographs and Comments
Earlier today, anticipating a muddy and too warm hike, I decided to hike only the two loop trails, with the potential to hike up the ridge if I decided to do so. My upper layer was only a tee-shirt and short-sleeve shirt. Well, I also had on jeans, shoes, and a ball cap, in case you were wondering. Yes, I also wore underwear and socks!
Spicebush Flats is the name of the lower parking lot. I had to park my truck there, since the upper or main parking lot was full on a Wednesday. The weather and mud were not great. Why were so many hiking today?
The above photograph faces east from where I had hiked. It is an easy little trail. You can turn left or right on the loop trail, which was behind me. I turned right to go up. In life, we all need to turn right and go up.
After hiking right and up, I arrived at the sign to the Right Sawmill Trail. The above photograph looks northeast. I had reached the main, or upper, parking lot. They call the east or lower loop trail the Right Sawmill Trail. I think, decades ago, that a sawmill used to be in the area. The trail name continues the heritage.
Seconds after I photographed the Right Sawmill Trail sign, I turned left to look southwest. The above is a partial view of the upper parking lot. The man in the image was kicking mud off of his shoes. The information board on the lower left side has my photograph of snow on the mountain at a middle bluff that I took years ago. My name, Marion Ferrell, is on the photograph.
I walked farther southwest a few yards past the information board, which was now behind me, to take the above photograph. The view still looks southwest. They call this upper west loop trail the Left Sawmill Loop.
The above trail sign is the one that I touch to check the time on my watch as I start hiking up the west trail to the west bluff. The west trail is nine-tenths of a mile. It includes six upper switchbacks, after you get through the four lower switchbacks. The west trail will challenge you. I touch a rock on the west bluff and check the time on my watch to see how long it took me to hike up. I can now hike up in 30 to 34 minutes. My average “pre-bionic joints” time was 24 to 26 minutes. My right foot and knee still slow me down for now.
Earlier today, I only “hiked” the two loop trails in the bottom area. I will explain.
After finishing the Left Sawmill Loop, I turned left to head northwest. I had to find out how muddy it was! I had not yet gone up the trail very far. I was still at the base of the mountain. The above image is sufficient to show the mud. I have stepped across the rocks in the image many times, with and without “bionic” joints, to keep hiking up through the other muddy areas that I know well. Today, I decided that I would not “enjoy another muddy hike.” I have been on several of them.
I walked back past the information board in the upper parking area. I always touch my photograph on the information board. Then, I hiked back down to my truck in the lower parking lot. The above photograph shows my truck prominently, with headlights looking at you. Twelve other vehicles were parked there. My truck was number thirteen! Realizing that, my truck told me to get him out of there! He didn't want to remain number thirteen!
Conclusion
My stubborn will was determined to get my 175th hike on House Mountain done before the end of this year. I did it. I knew that I could.
Yesterday, at my annual physical, my good doctor and friend stated what I already knew. He remarked that my strong will had motivated my recovery to this point. I already knew that. We enjoyed a laugh. I inspired my good doctor and friend.
Beaten but not defeated by life, we go to our heavenly home eventually, if we have lived according to the grace that we received through Christ Jesus. In everlasting life, our heavenly home will be wonderful! That is what my 175th hike on House Mountain brought to my mind today. I hope that this article benefits you in the same manner. I call it “hiking theology.” Hiking theology does a soul good.
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